Safety apparatus for the protection of trains



R. VIAU. SAFETY APPARATUS FOR THE PROTECTION OF TRAINS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-16,!913- 1,366,613.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

R. VIAU. SAFETY APPARATUS FOR THE PROTECTION OF TRAINS.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJG, I913. 1,366,613. Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

error. a

RENE vrau, or vnnenns, rnencn.

AppIication filed August 16, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RENE VIAU, a citizen of the French Republic, residing at Varades, in the Republic of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Apparatus for the Protection of Trains, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device designed to prevent railway accidents which are due to the following causes 1. Neglect to protect a train standing at a station;

2. Bad working of the signals;

3. Bad observation of the stop signals owing to fog or through negligence of the engineer.

This apparatus fulfils especially the double purpose to protect every train which enters a station and to stop every train which runs over a stop signal.

A form of construction of the invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is an elevation showing all the elements of the device mounted upon the line and upon the engine.

Fi 's. 2 and 3 show the hand levers arranged at the station for operating the signals.

Fig. 4 is an elevation and Fig. 5 a plan view of the mechanism for operating the signals. 7

The apparatus which produces the automatic closing of the disk when a train is running over said disk essentially consists of a shaft 2 (Figs. land 4) having a pedal lever 1 and an arm 3 adapted to engage with the shoulder of an abutment 4: keyed upon a shaft 6. This shaft 6 further has a crank 7 connected by means of a connecting rod 8 with a link 9 which operates the disk.

The operation of this device is as follows Suppose the disk is in the open position and a train runs along the signal in the direction of the arrow. The first wheel of the engine, coming in contact with the pedal lever 1, lowers thesame whereby the shaft 2 is turned so that the pawl releases the abutment 4 one part of which forms counterweight so that the abutment oscillates and adopts the vertical position indicated in dotted lines at 5. The oscillation of the abutment 4 makes the shaft 6 turn which Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

Serial No. "185,165.

I pulls along the crank 7 and releases through the link 9 the diskwhich closes through the action of a counterweight arranged for this purpose. T he train therefore has protected itself by passing over the signal, on the one hand by operating th disk, and on the other hand by bringing the abutment 5 to the vertical position.

This apparatus permits of the protecting of a train stopped on the line by simply placing upon the line at a certain distance behind the train a piece which serves as abutment 5.

The apparatus designed to protect the line from the station is shown partly in Figs. 2 and 3 which represent the hand levers situated at the stations, partly in Figs. i and 5 which illustrate the mechanism mounted upon the line. The hand lever 32 is lined to a toothed segment 51 which pawl 38 serves for closing the disk; it is connected with a counterweight 33 (Fig. &) by means of a chain 3 f guided over a chain pulley and traversing an aperture of an arm 36 keyed upon the shaft 2. The diameter of the head 37 of the counterweight is greater than the diameter of the aperture of the arm 36. i

This apparatus operates as follows 1- To protect the line a traction is exerted upon the chain 34 by means of the handlever 32 so that, together with the counterweight 33 the arm 36 is lifted, whereby the shaft 2 is turned so that the pawl 3 disengages from the oscillating abutment a and the disk as well as the abutment 4i adopt the positions of protecting the line as hereinbefore explained. The lever 32'is maintained in the position line closed by the pawl 38 (Fig. 2).

The apparatus for opening the line from the station comprises a lever 39, similar to the lever 32, but having neither teeth nor pawl. This lever 39 is fixed upon the same support as the lever 32 and permits of exerting a traction upon a chain at fixed upon a double chain pulley 41 situated in alinement with said shaft. This pulley carries a crank pin 42 (Fig. 5), a counterweight 43 maintains this pulley inthe position shown in Fig. 5. I z

In orcer to open the line a traction is exerted upon the chain 44, whereby the pulley i1 is turned in the direction opposite to the direction in which it is pulled by the counterweight 43, so that the crank pin 42 acts upon the crank 7 which has been brought in contact with said crank pin when the line has been closed. The crank acts on the link 9 so that the disk is opened.

, As soon as the traction exerted upon the wire 44 ceases, the pulley 41 goes back to the positionshown in Fig. '5 through the action the wire 34*will exert a tion of the counterweight 43. The opening of the line can however not take place when thelever 32 =(F1g. 3) is in the closing pos1- tion and inthis case this lever has to be brought back to the normal position by withdrawing the pawl 38 before the lever 39 can be manipulated. Owing to this arrangement "the line can be closed from sev eral stations but it cannot be opened by any station as long as any other station wishes' the same to remain closed.

7 If the wire 34'should break, the counterweight would'drop and strike against a lever 47 which is curved at its end (Fig.1). lhis lever in swinging draws along a piece 48 which acting on a piece 49 makes the shaft 2 revolve and closes'the line as hereinbefore described. The line remains closed as long as the counterweight 33 acts upon the lever 47. V V

The dropping of the counterweight 43 does not close the line but it prevents the line from being opened when it has once been closed. a

The wires or chains are of about 0.50 me- ,ter long and, even if their length. should vary very much in consequence of a great heat or of a great cold the closing of the line will'always' be effected as by a great retracpull and by an excessive dilatation it will I claim V 1. An improved safety apparatus for the protection of trains comprising in combination aV-main shaft, a, pedal lever keyed on said main shaft, an arm projecting from gsaid mainsha'ft, a secondary shaft parallel -with=the=main shaft, an abutment keyed on said secondaryshaft adapted to engage with said arm on themain shaft, a crank on said -secondary shaft, azlink for operating the signaldisk, and a connecting rod connecting said link with said crank, substantlally as described and shown and "for the purpose set forth.

2. An improved safety apparatus for'the protection of trains comprising in combination :a main shaft,ja pedal lever keyed on said main shaft, an arm projecting from said niain'shaft having a hole near its end, a

handle-yer 'pivotallymounted at the station,

make the counterweight'33'act upon-the lever 47.

, 3. An mproved safety apparatus for the protection of trains comprising in combination a main shaft, a pedal lever keyedon said main shaft, an arm projecting from said main shaft having a hole :near its end, a hand lever pivotally a wire fixed to said hand lever and passing through said hole, to the other end of said wire, a secondhand lever pivotally mounted at the station, a chain attached with one end to said hand lever, an auxiliary shaft parallel with said main shaft, a double chain pulley keyed on said auxiliary shaft and having said chain wound around it, a crank pin carried by-said chain pulley, free end of said chain, parall l with the main shaft, an abutment keyed on said secondaryshaft adapted to engage with said arm on the main shaft, a crankon said secondary shaft'adapted to be acted upon by said crank pin, a' link. for operating the signal disk, rod connecting said link with said crank, substantially as described and shown and for the purpose set forth. Y

4. An improved safetyapparatus for th protection-of trains comprising in combination a mam shaft, a pedal lever keyed on said main shaft, an arm projecting "from sald main shaft having ahole near ltsend, a hand lever pivotally mounted atthe station, a wire fixed to said hand lever and passing through said hole,

mounted at the station, i

a counterweight attached 7 a counterweight fixed to the a secondary shaft and a connecting drops in consequence of thechain breaking,

a secondary shaft parallel with the .main shaft, an abutment keyed onsaid secondary shaft adapted to engage with said arm on the main shaft, a crank 'on said secondary shaft, a linkfor operating thesignal disk, and a connecting rod eonnectingsaid link wlth' said crank, substantially as described and shown and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I haveihereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

RENE VIAU. Witnesses: '7

. Fonnroonnnn.

E.- SUREA-"U. 

